M The ongols in China What s the Connection? As a complex culture developed in China, a northern enemy waited to attack. Focusing on the Genghis Khan and his sons built the Mongol Empire, which stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe. (page 424) The Mongols conquered China and created a new dynasty that tried to conquer Japan and began trading with the rest of Asia. (page 428) Locating Places Mongolia (mahn GOH lee uh) Gobi (GOH bee) Karakorum (KAHR uh KOHR uhm) Khanbaliq (KAHN buh LEEK) Beijing (BAY JIHNG) Meeting People Genghis Khan (GEHNG guhs KAHN) Kublai Khan (KOO BLUH KAHN) Marco Polo (MAHR koh POH loh) Building Your Vocabulary tribe steppe (STEHP) terror (TEHR uhr) Reading Strategy Organizing Information Use a diagram like the one below to show the accomplishments of Genghis Khan s reign. Accomplishments Baghdad Karakorum Khanbaliq (Beijing) 1200 1300 1400 1206 Genghis Khan unites Mongols 1271 Kublai Khan becomes China s emperor 1368 Yuan (Mongol) dynasty falls CHAPTER 12 China in the Middle Ages 423
The Mongols Genghis Khan and his sons built the Mongol Empire, which stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe. Reading Focus Have you ever had the chance to ride a horse? For thousands of years, the horse was the most important form of transportation in the world. Read to learn how one people used their skills as horse riders to build a vast empire. The Mongols lived in an area north of China called Mongolia (mahn GOH lee uh). They were made up of tribes, or groups of related families, loosely joined together. The Mongols raised cattle, goats, sheep, and horses. They followed their herds as the animals grazed Mongolia s great steppes (STEHPS). Steppes are wide rolling grassy plains that stretch from the Black to northern China. From an early period in their history, the Mongols were known for two things. One was their ability to ride horses well. Mongols practically lived on horseback, learning to ride at age four or five. The other skill for which the Mongols were known was the ability to wage war. They could fire arrows at enemies from a distance while charging at them. Then they would attack with spears and swords. (t)national Museum of Taipei, (b)j. Bertrand/Photo Researchers Mongol Empire Under Genghis Khan 1227 Volga KEY Genghis Khan s empire, 1227 Mongol homeland Campaign under Genghis Khan 0 0 1,000 km Two-Point Equidistant projection 60 N Onon 1,000 mi. S Caspian N W E Aral Samarkand Indus A S I A KARA- KHITAI 1219 20 H I M 60 E 100 E A 1218 Kashgar Ganges L A 1219 Y A 1219 TIBET Karakorum Mekong XI XIA Ningxia Lake Baikal Ulaanbaatar 1209 Huan g 1211 15 1215 Zhongdu (Beijing) He Location of Genghis Khan s death Chang Jiang CHINA Liaoyang Yellow 40 N Hangzhou 14 20 N Mongol warrior Under the reign of Genghis Khan, the Mongols conquered kingdoms across central Asia. 1. In what direction from Mongolia did Genghis Khan first strike? In what year? 2. What physical features may have prevented Genghis Khan from capturing more territory to the south? Mongolian nomads today
Who Was Genghis Khan? The man who would unite the Mongols was born in the 1160s. He was named Temujin (teh MOO juhn), which means blacksmith. Temujin showed his leadership skills early. He was still a young man when he began to unite the Mongol tribes. In 1206 a meeting of Mongol leaders took place somewhere in the Gobi (GOH bee), a vast desert that covers parts of Mongolia and China. At that meeting, Temujin was elected Genghis Khan (GEHNG guhs KAHN), which means strong ruler. Genghis Khan brought together Mongol laws in a new code. He also created a group of tribal chiefs to help him plan military campaigns. From the time of his election until the end of his life, Genghis Khan fought to conquer the lands beyond Mongolia. Genghis Khan gathered an army of more than 100,000 warriors. He placed his soldiers into well-trained groups. Commanding them were officers chosen for their abilities, not for their family ties. These changes made the Mongols the most skilled fighting force in the world at that time. Genghis Khan began building his empire by conquering other people on the steppes. These victories brought him wealth and new soldiers to fill the army. Mongol Empire 1294 Mediterranean Danube Kiev Constantinople 40 E 80 E 120 E Moscow Volga N SIBERIA 60 N Nile Red Black Baghdad ARABIA Makkah KEY The Mongol Empire at its height Campaign of the Yuan dynasty (under Kublai Khan) Great Wall Caspian PERSIA Arabian Aral Ind u s The Mongols created the largest land empire in the history of the world. 1. What physical feature helped prevent the Mongols from capturing India? 2. What is the present-day name for the Mongols capital at Khanbaliq? W E S Samarkand H I M INDIA 0 TIBET A L A Y A Bay of Bengal 1,000 mi. 0 1,000 km Two-Point Equidistant projection EQUATOR INDIAN OCEAN MONGOLIA Karakorum GOBI Khanbaliq (Beijing) H u ang He Sumatra Chang Jiang Guangzhou Bronze plaque showing Genghis Khan 0 Java Hangzhou East China PACIFIC OCEAN South China Borneo JAPAN CHAPTER 12 China in the Middle Ages 425 20 N James L. Stanfield
In the battle scene shown here, Mongol troops storm across the Chang Jiang on a bridge made of boats. After conquering northern China, what areas did the Mongols attack? Soon the Mongols were strong enough to attack major civilizations. In 1211 Mongol forces turned east and invaded China. Within three years, they had taken all of northern China. They then moved west and struck at the cities and kingdoms that controlled parts of the Silk Road. Genghis Khan and his Mongol warriors became known for their cruelty and use of terror (TEHR uhr). Terror refers to violent actions that are meant to scare people into surrendering, or giving up. Mongol warriors attacked, robbed, and burned cities. Within a short time, the Mongols became known for their fierce ways, and many people surrendered to them without fighting. The Mongol Empire Genghis Khan died in 1227. His large empire was divided among his four sons. Under their leadership, the empire continued to expand. The Mongols swept into parts of eastern and central Europe. They also conquered much of southwest Asia. In 1258 the famous Muslim city of Baghdad fell to the Mongols. Mongol armies then pushed through Syria and Palestine to Egypt. They were finally stopped by the Muslim rulers of Egypt in 1260. The Mongols united all of these different territories under their rule. Their empire reached from the Pacific Ocean in the east to Eastern Europe in the west and from Siberia in the north to the Himalaya in the south. It was the largest land empire the world had ever known. Despite widespread destruction, the Mongols eventually brought peace to the lands they ruled. Peace encouraged trade, which helped the Mongols. Many of Asia s trade routes now lay in Mongol hands. The Mongols taxed the products traded over these roads and, as a result, grew wealthy. The Mongols felt great respect for the advanced cultures they conquered. Sometimes they even adopted some of the beliefs and customs they encountered. For example, the Mongols in southwest Asia accepted Islam and adopted Arab, Persian, and Turkish ways. The Mongols also learned many things from the Chinese. As they battled Chinese troops, they learned about gunpowder and its use as an explosive. They also saw the Chinese use the fire lance, a weapon that used gunpowder. Quickly, the Mongols adopted both gunpowder and the fire lance for use in battle. These new weapons made Mongol armies even more frightening to their enemies. Analyze What military and economic reasons explain why the Mongols were able to build an empire so quickly? 426 CHAPTER 12 China in the Middle Ages Werner Forman Archive
GENGHIS KHAN c. A.D. 1167 1227 Mongol Leader Was Genghis Khan a ruthless warrior who enjoyed causing death and destruction, or was he a skilled leader who improved the lives of those in his empire, or both? Genghis Khan built a huge empire across Asia using loyal, strong, and well-trained warriors. His men killed hundreds of thousands on the quest. Although the wars he and his sons fought were brutal and bloody, they eventually brought peace and prosperity to most of Asia. Genghis Khan was named Temujin by his father, the Mongol chief Yisugei. Folklore says Temujin had a large blood clot in his right hand, which meant he was destined to become a great warrior. Temujin grew up in his father s camp along the Onon River in Mongolia. Temujin s father arranged a marriage for his nine-year-old son. His wife came from another tribe, and the marriage helped bring wealth to his family. Borte, his wife at age ten, was beautiful. Temujin and Borte, had four sons when they both became older. Years later, when his father was killed by the Tartars and his loyal warriors left the tribe, Temujin lost his wealth. His poverty and the disloyalty of his father s soldiers angered him so much that he decided to Genghis Khan Life is short, I could not conquer the world. attributed to Genghis Khan become a great warrior. Over time, Temujin became Ghengis Khan. When he died after falling from a horse, his son Ogodei was picked to succeed him. Genghis Khan s camp In Mongolia today, Genghis Khan is considered a national hero. What do you think? Was Genghis Khan a villain or a hero? 427 (t)kadokawa/ancient Art & Architecture Collection, (b)bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France/Bridgeman Art Library
Mongol Rule in China The Mongols conquered China and created a new dynasty that tried to conquer Japan and began trading with the rest of Asia. Reading Focus What does it mean to be tolerant? Read to find out how the Mongols used tolerance to rule the Chinese. In 1260 the Mongols named Genghis Khan s grandson, Kublai, to be the new khan, or ruler. Kublai Khan (KOO BLUH KAHN) continued the Mongol conquest of China that his father had begun. In 1264 Kublai moved his capital from Karakorum Kublai Khan s Park Marco Polo recorded a description of the luxury in which Kublai Khan lived. [The palace wall] encloses and encircles fully sixteen miles of parkland well watered with springs and streams... Into this park there is no entry except by way of the palace. Here the Great Khan keeps game animals of all sorts...to provide food for the gerfalcons [large, arctic falcons] and other falcons which he has in here in mew [an enclosure]. Marco Polo, Kublai Khan s Park, c. 1275 Kublai Khan presents golden tablets to Marco Polo Why did Kublai Khan keep game animals ones hunted for sport or food in his park? in Mongolia to Khanbaliq in northern China. Today the modern city of Beijing (BAY JIHNG) stands on the site of the Mongols Chinese capital. What Did the Mongols Do in China? In 1271 Kublai Khan decided to become China s next emperor. Within 10 years, the Mongols had conquered southern China and put an end to the Song dynasty. Kublai Khan started the Yuan (YOO AHN) dynasty. Yuan means beginning, and its name showed that the Mongols wanted to rule China for a long time. But the Yuan dynasty would last only about 100 years. Kublai would rule for 30 of those years. Kublai Khan gave Mongol leaders the top jobs in China s government, but he knew he needed Chinese scholar-officials to run the government. So he let many of the Chinese keep their government jobs. The Mongols were different from the Chinese in many ways. They had their own language, laws, and customs. This kept them separate from Chinese society. The Mongols were rulers at the top of Chinese society, but they did not mix with the Chinese people. Like many Chinese, the Mongols were Buddhists. They were tolerant, however, of other religions. For example, Kublai Khan invited Christians, Muslims, and Hindus from outside China to practice their faiths and to win converts. Under Mongol rule, China reached the height of its wealth and power. Its splendor drew foreigners who came to China over the Silk Road. Khanbaliq, the capital, became known for it wide streets, beautiful palaces, and fine homes. One of the most famous European travelers to reach China was Marco Polo (MAHR koh POH loh). He came from the city of Venice in Italy. Kublai Khan was 428 CHAPTER 12 China in the Middle Ages The Bodleian Library, Oxford, Ms. Bodl. 264, fol.219r
fascinated by Marco Polo s stories about his travels. For about 16 years, Kublai sent Polo on many fact-finding trips. When Polo finally returned to Europe, he wrote a book about his adventures. His accounts of the wonders of China amazed Europeans. Trade and Conquest The Mongols ruled a large empire that stretched from China to eastern Europe. As a result, China prospered from increased trade with other areas. Goods such as silver, spices, carpets, and cotton flowed in from Europe and other parts of Asia. In return, China shipped out tea, silk, and porcelain. Europeans and Muslims also brought Chinese discoveries, such as steel, gunpowder, and the compass, back to their homelands. The Mongols enlarged China s empire and conquered Vietnam and northern Korea. The rulers of Korea, called the Koryo, remained in power because they accepted This drawing from a historic map shows Marco Polo s journey along the Silk Road. From what European city did Marco Polo travel? Mongol control. The Mongols forced thousands of Koreans to build warships. These ships were used by the Mongols to invade Japan. You will read about the Mongol invasions of Japan in a later chapter. Yuan dynasty? Identify Who founded the Homework Helper Need help with the material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com Reading Summary Review the Under leaders such as Genghis Khan and his sons, the Mongol Empire expanded until it stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe, and from Siberia south to the Himalaya. Kublai Khan conquered China, which led to increased trade between China and other parts of the world. What Did You Learn? 1. Who was Marco Polo? 2. What areas did the Mongols conquer? Critical Thinking 3. Sequencing Information Draw a time line like the one below. Fill in details to show the Mongols rise to power in China. 1160s Temujin born 1281 Mongols conquer China 4. Analyze How did the Mongols use terror in their conquests? 5. Summarize How did the Mongols benefit from their contact with the Chinese? 6. Descriptive Writing Imagine you are Marco Polo visiting Kublai Khan in Khanbaliq. Write a journal entry describing some of the things you are learning about the Mongol Empire under Kublai Khan. CHAPTER 12 China in the Middle Ages 429 Hulton/Getty Images